NCDOT completes major repairs on Swannanoa Bridge

Press release from the North Carolina Department of Transportation:

NCDOT Completes Major Repairs on Swannanoa Bridge Whitson Road bridge to open Wednesday afternoon SWANNANOA – An N.C. Department of Transportation crew will remove barricades Wednesday afternoon on a Swannanoa bridge that was damaged by Hurricane Helene. NCDOT and contract crews from the greater Asheville area completed major repairs to the Whitson Avenue Bridge reconnecting U.S. 70 to Old U.S. 70 which are the two main roads through town. Massive flooding from the hurricane washed out areas approaching the bridge from both sides as well as the piles in the river — almost everything but the deck. Crews repaired the approaches with new fill material, built a wall behind the southern abutment, replaced a concrete slab approaching the bridge, and applied new asphalt and curb and gutter. NCDOT also rebuilt nearby portions of Old U.S. 70 with new asphalt, and installed new traffic signals. The Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on the bridge at noon on Wednesday. “We are proud to serve the Swannanoa community,” Division 13 Engineer Tim Anderson said. “We are also humbled by the outpouring of appreciation for the work we have completed to reconnect the community.” NCDOT has repaired or replaced 213 bridges, 41 large culverts and 743 small culverts damaged by Hurricane Helene, and reopened 89 percent of roads closed by the storm. Visit www.DriveNC.gov for real-time traffic information and follow NCDOT on social media.